A “groggy” Kelechi Iheanacho was forced off by Ederson’s reckless challenge but Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers said he needed to view the incident again to determine if it was a penalty.
Iheanacho was wiped out by the Manchester City goalkeeper five minutes before half-time in Leicester’s 1-0 defeat on Saturday, the Brazilian punching the striker in the chest and throat.
Leicester appealed for a penalty, but only a corner was given, and while Iheanacho continued after treatment, he was substituted at the break on the advice of the club medical staff.
Rodgers said it was a typical goalkeeper move to take the man and ball, with Ederson also clattering Harvey Barnes in the reverse fixture.
On both occasions, the collisions were deemed “inevitable” and so no spot-kicks were awarded.
“It was the reason he had to come off,” said Rodgers on Iheanacho.
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“I haven’t seen it again, I haven’t seen a replay of it, but the guys are telling me he got caught on the throat.
It’s a lovely ball by James [Maddison] and he’s getting there.
suppose, for a keeper, he’s come to try to punch the ball and they try to take the man at the same time. That’s what they do. I haven’t seen it again to give an honest opinion on it.
“Iheanacho felt a bit groggy at half-time, and I always listen to the medical staff on that. They felt it would be hard for him to continue at the level, so Harvey [Barnes] came on and gave us that penetration.”
While Rodgers was unsure if the incident deserved punishment, he was adamant that Leicester should have been awarded a spot-kick minutes earlier, when Kevin De Bruyne blocked Maddison’s free-kick with his arms.
